Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the visit and said the trip was arranged by the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US embassy in Taipei. It did not disclose the names of the lawmakers involved in the visit, nor their itinerary.
When approached for comment, the American Institute in Taiwan did not confirm the list of lawmakers but directed CNN to Sen. John Cornyn's office for information, a Republican from Texas. Relations between Taipei and Beijing are at their lowest point in decades, marked by fiery rhetoric and military posturing. Last month, China's military sent a record number of warplanes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) -- the area surrounding the island where Taipei says it will respond to any incursions.
